Gearing options with a Manual transmission feedback

[M_Pluto]

Hey y'all, I'm gonna be pulling the trigger on ordering a JLU Rubi with a Manual transmission tomorrow, and I'm a total new when it comes to stuff like gearing ratios & how that affects stuff.

My options for gearing are 4.10 & 4.88 (all the CAD build & price lists for me as options). I'm hearing conflicting things on whether if or not I should go with the 4.88 gearing or not since I'm gonna have a manual transmission. I will likely be running 35s on it before I drive it off the lot when it arrives.

Can someone explain this stuff to me like I'm 5 so I can understand?

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[Ratbert]

Make sure you test drive one with the 4.10 gears and compare that to a Rubicon with an automatic. I failed to do that comparison when I bought mine (3.6L) and I wish that I hadn't been so stubborn about getting a manual.

People with the 3.6L manual with 4.88 gears are saying that it's significantly better.

If you can order through a US dealer then:

1. You can get decent prices by going through one of the dealerships listed in my sig
2. Your Jeep will likely come in significantly quicker than a Canadian order

 

[M_Pluto]

Make sure you test drive one with the 4.10 gears and compare that to a Rubicon with an automatic. I failed to do that comparison when I bought mine (3.6L) and I wish that I hadn't been so stubborn about getting a manual.

People with the 3.6L manual with 4.88 gears are saying that it's significantly better.

If you can order through a US dealer then:

1. You can get decent prices by going through one of the dealerships listed in my sig
2. Your Jeep will likely come in significantly quicker than a Canadian order

Its not possible to test drive a Jeep near me with any of the new gearing as so few dealers keep jeeps with manual transmissions in stock. I checked online and so far as I can tell, there are two (new from factory) JLUR with manual transmission in the country. They are also on the other side of the country from me.

As for ordering/buying from the states, I did look into it briefly on another's recommendation, but with the currency conversion the price would be an additional $10k over what I'd pay for the exact same configuration. That is before domestic taxes & import taxes that I would have to pay here.

Here I can get it tax free and delivered to a dealer within 45 mins driving of me. While the extra wait won't be fun, I can live with it if it means I save $15-20k

 

[AcesandEights]

I've had both, 3.6 with manual transmission with 4.10 and 4.88 gearing. I owned a 2021 with 4.10 and a 2022 with 4.88.

I think it really depends on where you live and how you'll use the rig. If I were in the plains, flat for as far as I could see, I'd opt for the 4.10...probably.

That being said, I don't mind a little higher revs/rpm. I live in a valley, so driving for me means climbing. I'm basically at the bottom of a hill no matter what direction I travel. I really like the mountains, so I appreciate the added torque 4.88 gearing provides. It comes as a cost though and I am averaging about 18mpg. With 4.10 I was averaging closer to 20mpg. There is about a 10% increase in fuel consumption between the two, for me.

Off road, there is no contest. 4.10 is great with a 4:1 t-case. 4.88 is even better. I like slooowww off road. I don't spin tires unless I'm in the mud and I travel only as fast as necessary to make an obstacle. No faster than necessary. 4.88, 4:1 and first gear means I crawl at 1 mph. It's perfect for me. Now, if I were driving where there was more mud, and no so much a mix of terrain, I might prefer the 4.10 gearing, but for me and where I drive, the 4.88 shines.

It always seems people have a lot to say and the last thing to say should be the first, that the conclusion should be in the first few sentences. So, if you've read this far, the bottom line is, if you're going to 35" tires, opt for the 4.88. It's a no-brainer.

 

[M_Pluto]

I've had both, 3.6 with manual transmission with 4.10 and 4.88 gearing. I owned a 2021 with 4.10 and a 2022 with 4.88.

I think it really depends on where you live and how you'll use the rig. If I were in the plains, flat for as far as I could see, I'd opt for the 4.10...probably.

That being said, I don't mind a little higher revs/rpm. I live in a valley, so driving for me means climbing. I'm basically at the bottom of a hill no matter what direction I travel. I really like the mountains, so I appreciate the added torque 4.88 gearing provides. It comes as a cost though and I am averaging about 18mpg. With 4.10 I was averaging closer to 20mpg. There is about a 10% increase in fuel consumption between the two, for me.

Off road, there is no contest. 4.10 is great with a 4:1 t-case. 4.88 is even better. I like slooowww off road. I don't spin tires unless I'm in the mud and I travel only as fast as necessary to make an obstacle. No faster than necessary. 4.88, 4:1 and first gear means I crawl at 1 mph. It's perfect for me. Now, if I were driving where there was more mud, and no so much a mix of terrain, I might prefer the 4.10 gearing, but for me and where I drive, the 4.88 shines.

It always seems people have a lot to say and the last thing to say should be the first, that the conclusion should be in the first few sentences. So, if you've read this far, the bottom line is, if you're going to 35" tires, opt for the 4.88. It's a no-brainer.

*THIS* by far is the most comprehensive explanation as to why I should pick one gear over another. So THANK YOU so much for that, a lot of people are just telling me their opinions without explaining or telling me why I should be choosing their advice.

As for where I live, I live in southern BC. It sure as hell ain't flat prairielands here. I live in a small valley with two mountain ridges in spitting distance from each other, which is kinda a teeny tiny offshoot of a much larger valley. Hills are where I live. As for my off roading, depending on the time of year, some of the trails I take could be pretty muddy, so there is that, but it sounds like I should be shooting for the 4.88s. Thank you so much for your advice, it was super helpful!

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